CONSULTATION PAPER ASPECTS OF INTERCOUNTRY ADOPTION LAW (LRC CP 43-2007) IRELAND Law Reform Commission 35-39 Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 i © Copyright Law Reform Commission 2007 First Published March 2007 ISSN 1393-3140 ii THE LAW REFORM COMMISSION Background The Law Reform Commission is an independent statutory body whose main aim is to keep the law under review and to make practical proposals for its reform. It was established on 20 October 1975, pursuant to section 3 of the Law Reform Commission Act 1975. The Commission’s Second Programme for Law Reform, prepared in consultation with the Attorney General, was approved by the Government and copies were laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas in December 2000. The Commission also works on matters which are referred to it on occasion by the Attorney General under the terms of the Act. To date the Commission has published 82 Reports containing proposals for reform of the law; eleven Working Papers; 42 Consultation Papers; a number of specialised Papers for limited circulation; An Examination of the Law of Bail; and 27 Annual Reports in accordance with section 6 of the 1975 Act. A full list of its publications is contained on the Commission’s website at www.lawreform.ie Membership The Law Reform Commission consists of a President, one full-time Commissioner and three part-time Commissioners. The Commissioners at present are: President: The Hon Mrs Catherine McGuinness, former Judge of the Supreme Court Full-time Commissioner: Patricia T. Rickard-Clarke, Solicitor Part-time Commissioner: Professor Finbarr McAuley Part-time Commissioner Marian Shanley, Solicitor Part-time Commissioner: Donal O’Donnell, Senior Counsel Secretary/Head of Administration John Quirke iii Research Staff Director of Research: Raymond Byrne BCL, LLM, Barrister-at-Law Legal Researchers: John P Byrne BCL, LLM (NUI), Barrister-at-Law Áine Clancy BCL, LLM (NUI) Philip Flaherty BCL, LLM (NUI) Caren Geoghegan BCL, LLM (Cantab), Barrister-at-Law Cliona Kelly BCL, PhD (NUI) Joanne Lynch BCL, LLM (NUI) Margaret Maguire LLB, LLM (NUI) Jane Mulcahy BCL, LLM (NUI) Tara Murphy BCL, LLM (Essex) Richard McNamara BCL, LLM (NUI) Charles O’Mahony BA, LLB, LLM (Lond), LLM (NUI) David Prendergast LLB, LLM (Lond), Barrister-at-Law Keith Spencer BCL, LLM (Dub), BCL (Oxon), Barrister-at-Law Nicola White LLB, LLM (Dub) Attorney-at-Law (NY) Administration Staff Project Manager: Pearse Rayel Executive Officer: Denis McKenna Legal Information Conor Kennedy BA, H Dip LIS Manager: Cataloguer: Eithne Boland BA (Hons), HDip Ed, HDip LIS Information Technology Officer: Liam Dargan Private Secretary to the President: Debbie Murray Clerical Officer Ann Browne Principal Legal Researcher on this Consultation Paper Richard McNamara BCL, LLM (NUI) iv Contact Details Further information can be obtained from: Secretary/Head of Administration Law Reform Commission 35-39 Shelbourne Road Ballsbridge Dublin 4 T: +353 1 637 7600 F: +353 1 637 7601 E: [email protected] W: www.lawreform.ie v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Commission would like to thank in particular the following people and organisations for their advice and assistance in the preparation of this Consultation Paper: Adoption Ireland: The Adopted People’s Association Adoption Board (An Bord Uchtála) Barnardos British Association for Adoption and Fostering Department of Foreign Affairs Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform Health Service Executive Passport Office Elizabeth Canavan, Deputy Director, Office of the Minister of State for Children Bernard Carey, Assistant Secretary, Department of Health and Children Gerard Durcan SC Norah Gibbons, Director of Advocacy, Barnardos Christine Hennessey, Project Leader, Adoption Advice Service, Barnardos Rosemary Horgan, Partner, Ronan Daly Jermyn Solicitors Claire Jackson BL Eimear Long BL, Law School, Trinity College Dublin Frank Martin, Senior Lecturer in Law, University College Cork Professor William Binchy, Regius Professor of Law, Trinity College Dublin Professor William Duncan, Deputy Secretary General, Hague Conference on Private International Law Professor David Gwynn Morgan, University College Cork Professor Mervyn Murch, Professor of Law, Cardiff Law School Dr. Bernard Ryan, Senior Lecturer in Law, Kent Law School Dr. Peter Selman, Visiting Fellow, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, Newcastle University The Hon Monte Solberg PC, MP, former Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, Canada United Kingdom Department of Education and Skills New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs - Te Tari Taiwhenua Full responsibility for the content of this publication, however, lies with the Commission. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Legislation ix Table of Cases xi INTRODUCTION 1 A The Attorney General’s Request 1 B Aim of the Consultation Paper 1 C Outline of the Consultation Paper 3 CHAPTER 1 INTERCOUNTRY ADOPTION 5 A Introduction 5 B Intercountry Adoption: An Overview 5 (1) Ireland 6 (2) United Nations 8 (3) Council of Europe 10 (4) 1993 Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption 13 C Adoption Acts 1991 and 1998 15 D Types of Foreign Adoptions and the Attorney’s Request 22 E Guiding Principles 23 (1) Best Interests of the Child 23 (2) Equality 24 (3) Presumption of Recognition 24 (4) Duties of the State and Practicability 25 CHAPTER 2 STATUS AND RIGHTS OF THE CHILD 27 A Introduction 27 B Attorney General v Dowse 27 (1) Recognition of the Adoption in Ireland 27 (2) Involvement of the Irish Authorities 28 (3) Commencement of Legal Proceedings 29 (4) Resolution of the Case 30 C Revocation of an Adoption Order 35 (1) Revocation and Full Adoption 35 (2) Revocation and Simple Adoption 39 (3) Simple Adoption and Irish Law 40 D Adoption and Citizenship Law 41 (1) The Administrative Process 41 (2) The Acquisition of Irish Citizenship by Descent 42 (3) The Acquisition of Citizenship by Adopted Children 44 (4) Citizenship by Naturalisation 45 (5) The Concept and Effect of Citizenship 46 (6) Comparative Analysis 47 (7) Loss of Existing Citizenship 54 E Rights of the Child 56 (1) The Status of Citizen 58 vii (2) The Constitution and Extra-Territorial Effect 61 (3) The Constitution and Private International Law 62 (4) Constitutional Rights of the Child 67 (5) Conclusions 73 CHAPTER 3 DUTIES OF PARENTS AND THE STATE 75 A Introduction 75 B Attorney General v Dowse in Context 75 (1) Implementation of the Hague Convention 76 C Duties of Parents and the State 78 D Role of the Office of the Attorney General 81 E Practical Considerations 85 CHAPTER 4 RELATED ISSUES 89 A Introduction 89 B Proof of Foreign Adoption Documentation 89 (1) Provisions of the Adoption Act 1991 as amended 89 (2) 1961 Hague Apostille Convention 91 (3) Countries from which Adoptions are Recognised 93 C Pre-Adoption and Post-Adoption Research 96 CHAPTER 5 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS 99 APPENDIX RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF THE ADOPTION ACTS 1991 AND 1998 101 viii TABLE OF LEGISLATION Adoption (Intercountry) Aspects Act 1999 1999 c. 18 Eng Adoption (Northern Ireland) Order 1987 SI 1987/2203 (NI NI 22) Adoption Act 1952 No. 25/1952 Irl Adoption Act 1974 No. 24/1974 Irl Adoption Act 1988 No. 30/1988 Irl Adoption Act 1991 No. 14/1991 Irl Adoption Act 1998 No. 10/1998 Irl Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 2007 asp 4 Scot Adoption and Children Act 2002 2002 c. 38 Eng Adoption Bill 1990 No. 47a/1990 Irl Adoption of Children Act 2006 No. 6/2006 NT Age of Majority Act 1985 No. 2/1985 Irl British Nationality Act 1981 1981 c. 61 Eng Child Care Act 1991 No. 17/1991 Irl Child Pornography and Trafficking Act 1998 No. 22/1998 Irl Children Act 2001 No. 24/2001 Irl Citizenship Act 1955 Ind Citizenship Act 1977 No. 61/1977 NZ Civil Registration Act 2004 No. 3/2004 Irl Diplomatic Relations and Immunities Act 1967 No. 8/1967 Irl Education (Welfare) Act 2000 No. 22/2000 Irl Education Act 1998 No. 10/1998 Irl Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs 2004 No. 30/2004 Irl Equal Status Act 2000 No. 8/2000 Irl European Convention on Human Rights Act 2003 No. 20/2003 Irl Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996 No. 33/1996 Irl Family Law Act 1995 No. 26/1995 Irl Guardianship of Infants Act 1964 No. 7/1964 Irl Health Act 2004 No. 42/2004 Irl Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 2001 No. 15/2001 Irl Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 2004 No. 38/2004 Irl ix Law Reform Commission Act 1975 No. 3/1975 Irl Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 No. 16/1924 Irl Recognition of Foreign Adoptions Bill 1990 No. 47/1990 Irl Rules of the Superior Courts (No.1) (Proof of Foreign, SI No. 3/1999 Irl Diplomatic, Consular and Public Documents) 1999 Rules of the Superior Courts 1986 SI No. 15/1986 Irl Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 No. 26/2005 Irl Status of Children Act 1987 No. 26/1987 Irl Succession Act 1965 No. 27/1965 Irl The Adoption (Designation of Overseas Adoptions) Order SI 1973/19 Eng 1973 x TABLE OF CASES Al Habtoor v Fotheringham [2001] EWCA Civ 186 Eng Attorney General v Dowse [2007] 1 ILRM 81 Irl Attorney General v Hamilton (No. [1993] 2 IR 250 Irl 1) Attorney General v McKenna (TD) [1995] 1 FC 694 Can Attorney General v X [1992] 1 IR 1 Irl B and B v An Bord Uchtala [1997] 1 ILRM 15 Irl Cameron v Gibson [2005] ScotCS CSIH 83 Scot Cameron v Gibson [2003] ScotsCS 298 Scot DG v Eastern Health Board [1997] 3 IR 511 Irl Dharamal v Lord Holmpatrick [1935] IR 760 Irl FN and EB v CO [2004] IEHC 60 Irl FN v Minister for Education [1995] 1 IR 409 Irl G v An Bord Uchtala [1980] IR 32 Irl GMcG v DW (No. 2) [2000] 4 IR 1 Irl Grehan v Medical Incorporated [1986] IR 528 Irl Hanrahan v Merck Sharp & Dohme [1988] ILRM 629 Irl Harben v Harben [1957] 1 All ER 379 Eng Hope v Hope [1854] All ER 441 Eng In re Article 26 and the Adoption [1989] IR 656 Irl (No.